Love horoscopes: Aug. 19 – Aug. 25

Christopher Renstrom is the creator of Rulingplanets.com which is his idea of an on-line, subscription-based, interactive Astrology Magazine. It is based on his bestselling book Ruling Planets, which was published by HarperCollins in 200...

No good deed goes unpunished

Good intentions can pave the way to hellish situations when Venus forms a square to Pluto on Aug. 24. The reason is that Venus wants to make love, not war, and this energy could lead you to be accommodating when maybe you shouldn’t. Maybe you’re tired of being the one who has to change her schedule to fit his, to smooth over his rough edges or to be forgiving when he apologizes for the same bad behavior again and again. But Venus/Pluto squares are also known as the "Beauty and the Beast" aspects in astrology which means that he could surprise you by showing off a more princely side.

No good deedgoes unpunished

Good intentions can pave the way to hellish situations when Venus forms a square to Pluto on Aug. 24. The reason is that Venus wants to make love, not war, and this energy could lead you to be accommodating when maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you're tired of being the one who has to change her schedule to fit his, to smooth over his rough edges or to be forgiving when he apologizes for the same bad behavior again and again. But Venus/Pluto squares are also known as the "Beauty and the Beast" aspects in astrology which means that he could surprise you by showing off a more princely side.

ARIES (March 20 – April 18)

You'll have some mixed feelings about what plays out on the 21st when Jupiter forms a square to Uranus in Aries. This is when a loved one will launch into a rant against you and it won't be pretty. There will be some truth to what's being said and you can take it. You were born under Mars, the tough as nails planet. But you might ask if and when he's going to take responsibility for himself. It takes two to tango after all and it's not like you've been dancing with yourself.

TAURUS (April 19 – May 19)

Everyone likes to take a walk on the wild side. It makes life exciting. But there's a difference between flirting with trouble and looking for it. You'll want to keep this in mind on Aug. 24 when Venus squares Pluto because what's fun and games to you may be serious business for him — or vice versa. Pluto always brings up people's needy sides so make sure that you are reading the signals right. Otherwise you could find yourself in a sticky situation that will be hard to extricate yourself from.

GEMINI (May 20 – June 19)

For some reason you're attracting guys who have been through the mill. Maybe their hearts were broken early on in the love game, they're trying to win back their kids' affection after a nasty divorce, or they just walked away from having it all and are trying to find themselves. In any case, you're meeting them at a time when they're feeling down and vulnerable. Be sensitive but wary because you don't want to be anyone's hand-holder. That said one of these guys could turn out to be what you've been looking for.

CANCER (June 20 – July 21)

The difficulty with being born under Cancer is that you are forgiving by nature. Even if you don't want to be, you can't help sympathizing with people and the troubles they've been through. It's the mommy part of you that believes that if given enough love and nurturing, that fellow you're seeing will eventually come around. And he might if you had 30 years to wait, but you don't. Hit the eject button on the 21st and get out while the gettin's good. You deserve better even if it doesn't feel that way now.

LEO (July 22 – Aug. 21)

Love gets put on the back burner when the Sun moves into Virgo on the 22nd. This is reminiscent of younger days. As a child of the summer, you were the first one out the door when the bell signaled vacation time and when it was time to return to school you were the first one back in her seat. Remember that just because your psychic clock is wired this way doesn't mean that his is. Give him the heads up so that he's not completely mystified by why you have no time for him.

VIRGO (Aug. 22 – Sept. 21)

You won't get anywhere this week trying to sort out your emotional life so you might as well skip it. It's always wise to go with the flow when Mercury is opposite Neptune. Neptune is the planet of mystery in astrology. But this isn't some Agatha Christie mystery where all the clues point to Col. Mustard in the living room with the candlestick. Neptune mystery is hidden, deep and wonderfully inexplicable — like an enigma wrapped inside a conundrum. Enjoy the magic you share with your lover or spouse. It's a precious gift.

LIBRA (Sept. 22 – Oct. 21)

Your relationship was supposed to be stress free, so why is the guy you're seeing such a downer? If the Venus/Pluto square this week is any indication, then he's probably in the midst of totally reinventing himself from top to bottom. It's not easy because he's apt to be self-involved and even repetitive. Yet the bright side is that he's involving you in his life in ways he never has with anyone else before and this says a lot about your bond. Hang in there because things lighten up after the 29th.

SCORPIO (Oct. 22 – Nov. 20)

You are the guardian in the relationship. You are always there with love and support and you will always make time to talk about what's amiss. This is great because it makes your partner feel cherished and protected. But sometimes this can lead to making decisions for your partner instead of allowing him to make decisions for himself and that's when you can become bossy. The Venus/Pluto square on Saturday will ask you to back off so that you can redress the balance and get back on equal footing again.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21 – Dec. 20)

You need to make a separation in your mind between love and money because your obsession with one is getting in the way of you enjoying the other. We all go through times when things are tight financially or when there isn't much going on in our love lives. And it's during these times when we need to find ways to lighten up. The money will pick up again and/or love will return to your life, but not if you beat yourself up over past mistakes. Things improve in September.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 21 – Jan. 18)

Venus, the planet of relationships, forms a square to Pluto, the planet of transformation, this week and it will have a profound impact on your marriage. Your spouse will slough off the old skin and you will see aspects of his personality that you know were in there all along but you never believed would see the light of day. Suddenly he'll be sensitive, understanding and good-humored. This extraordinary alteration will bring you closer together but only if you can leave behind the old roles and embrace the new.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 19 – Feb. 17)

Aquarius is one of the few signs in the zodiac to have two ruling planets — Saturn and Uranus. Saturn is the planet of law and order; Uranus is the planet of revolution and change. When you have two ruling planets, then you have to serve both masters which means that you often swing between extremes. Tension has been building for weeks and it's time to be free. This could lead you to pull a no-show at the altar, switch sex preferences or elope with that guy you knew your family would never accept. Be ready for anything.

PISCES (Feb. 18 – March 19)

You're going to be making a lot of men uncomfortable this week with Mercury opposite Neptune in your sign. Opposites attract but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll stay together. Neptune energy makes you alluring and enchanting and men will have a hard time resisting you, but afterwards? They could wind up shutting down and disconnecting because the experience of being with you was too much. You don't want men blaming you for making them feel feelings that they don't want to feel so proceed cautiously.